Sign structure



Oct. 20, 1953 T. J. LA FONTAINE SIGN STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 18. 1952INVENTOR.

r/Mo r//r J. A ,fawn/N5 BY Patented Qct. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PTENTFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to signs and particularly to advertising signsand banners which are supported in display position by flexibletensioning elements such as cords, ropes, wire and the like.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved signstructure which is intended to be suspended by flexible elements acrossrelatively wide areas and which is reinforced in a novel manner to holdthe longitudinal side edges of the sign in substantially parallelrelationship from one end to the other end thereof. Another importantobject of the invention is to provide a novel reinforcement for the signwhich absorbs the forces and strains imposed thereon and maintains thebody of the sign relatively ilat and taut throughout its extent. Afurther important object of this invenion is to provide an inexpensivesign structure of this type including the provision of relatively rigidmembers or rods for absorbing the forces and strains to which the signbody is subject, which rods are designed in a novel manner forsecurement to the sign body.

In carrying out the objects of the inventionl the sign structure of thepresent invention comprises a fabric sheet constituting the body of thesign and tensioning elements which are secured to the corners of thesheet and may extend lengthwise along the longitudinal marginal portionsof the sheet to assist in holding the same in relatively taut condition.Located on each end of the sign body is a stiffening or reinforcingmember. An important feature of these reinforcing members is theirconstruction and relation to the sign body. They are preferably formedof rigid tubular rods each having their opposite end portions flattenedfor facial engagement with the adjacent portion of the sign body. Theseflattened portions of the reinforcing rods are secured by fasteningmeans to the sign body adjacent to the tensioning elements.

By virtue of their rigidity, these reinforcing members serve to hold thesign body taut with the longitudinal marginal portions thereof extendingparallel to one another throughout the longitudinal dimensions of thesign body. As a result of this invention, fabric signs having lengths oftwenty or thirty feet or more may be supported in taut condition withtheir longitudinal edges in parallel relationship throughout the lengthof the sign.

Various other objects, advantages and meritorious features of theinvention will become more fully apparent from the followingspecication, appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a sign constructed in accordance with thisinvention showing the opposite en-d portions thereof with thereinforcing rods associated therewith,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken along line2--2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View of one side edge of thesign taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one longitudinalmarginal portion of the sign body taken along line 4 4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one corner of the signtaken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a conventional sign of this characterillustrating the bowed character of the longitudinal marginal portionsof the sign body, and

Fig. '7 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the conditionresulting from the use of the present invention.

In order to understand the advantages of the present invention,reference is first made to Figs. 6 and 7 wherein there are shown twosign structures, the one illustrated in Fig. `6 employing conventionalsupporting elements and the other in Fig. '7 employing the reinforcingelements of the present invention. Comparison of these iigures will showthat in Fig. 6 the longitudinal top and bottom edges of the sign bodyare not parallel to one another, but bow inwardly toward one another,whereas in Fig. 7 the top and bottom edges extend parallel to oneanother through the `length of the sign body. It is an important objectof this invention to provide reinforcing elements which tension the signbody I0 in such a manner as to hold the longitudinal side edges thereofin substantially parallel relationship throughout their extent, asillustrated in Fig. 7. Thus, for signs or banners of twenty or more feetin length the long sides thereof are held in parallel relationship whichimproves the appearance and attractiveness of the sign.

Referring to the remaining figures of the drawing, the sign body whichis indicated at lll is in the form of an elongated rectangular flexiblesheet composed of textile fabric, canvas, ber or other suitablematerial. The right and left fragmentary portions of the sign structureare shown in Fig, 1, it being understood that the sign body I0 isrectangular in formation and elongated horizontally any desireddistance, for example, twenty, thirty or more feet in length.

The sign is usually supported in vertical or upright position, but maylie in any other plane if 3 desired. For support, flexible tensioningelements |2-I2 are employed. These elements may be composed of cord,rope, tape, or any suitable material for such purpose. Rope or cord isshown in the drawing. The cords l2-I2 extend along the oppositelongitudinal sides of the sign body or sheet I@ and outwardly laterallyfrom the corners of the sign structure for securement to suitable spacedsupports. When the sign is supported in upright position, such as shownin Fig. l, the cords extend along the upper and lower longitudinalmarginal portions of the sign body. These marginal portions of the signbody 'are folded over the cords or ropes, as indicated at I@ in Figs. 1and 4, and form hems enclosing the cords therewith. The folded portionsI6 of the sign body are secured to the main body portion by lines ofstitching, such as indicated at 4. One line of stitching may extendthrough the cord 12 enclosed by each marginal portion. The cords orropes |2-I2 exert a tension or strain upon the flexible sign body l andassist in maintaining the sign in relatively taut condition when subjectto wind currents.

The opposite end marginal portions of the sign body I0 are preferablyfolded over upon themselves, as indicated at 20., and the stitchesindicated at 22 may serve as the form of securement for these foldedportions. To reinforce the folded portions l 6 and 20 of the sign body,there may be inserted within each side marginal fold l5 and within yeachend marginal fold 29 a iiexible filler or webbing indicated at 24 inFigs. 2 and 5 composed of fabric, plastic or like material. Preferablywhen making up the sign body, the end marginal portions 213- are foldedover and secured before the longitudinal side marginal portions IB-I 6are folded over to form their respective hems. In this manner, theopposite end portions of the transverse marginal portions 20--29 arefolded with the side margins Iii-I6 forming a quadruple thickness of thesign body material at each corner thereof. The ller or webbing 24 ineach end portion 20 is folded with the same so that at each corner-there are six plies of material, the resulting condition of which isslightly exaggerated in Figs. 2 and 5 for purpose of clarity.

A novel form of reinforcement is provided which holds the frame in sucha taut condition f that the side marginal portions I-IS extend parallelto vone another throughout the extent of the sign structure, as shown inFig. 7. Each end of the sign structure is provided with thisreinforcement. This reinforcement preferably comprises Ya tubular ymetalmember or rod 2B which extends transversely to the cords I2-l2 andsubstantially bridges the space therebetween. For the major portion ofits length each rod 26 is tubular and by virtue of its tubularconstruction the rod is extremely resistant to any forces tending tobend or warp the same. The opposite end portions of each rod, indicatedat 28-28, are correspondingly flattened, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5,in order to bear facially against the hem portions I6 of the sign body.Preferably, the length of each rod is such that it terminates just shortof the two cords I2-l2, as shown in Fig. 1.

The flattened end portions 28-28 of each metal rod 26 is secured to thesign body by any suitable means, such as a wire stitch, rivet, or abolt. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a metalstitch 30 is provided for fastening each flattened end of the rod to thesign body. The -rnetal stitches 30 pass through the attened portions23-28 of each rod and through the thickened corner material of the signbody thereby rigidly securing the latter to the rod. The rod isotherwise free of securement throughout its length and the adjacent endportion 20 of the sign body merely .lies alongside of the tubularportion of each rod, as shown in Fig. 3.

In use, the reinforcing rods 26-26 serve to hold the sign body instretched condition and, with the assistance of the cords i2-I2, thesign body is held under such a strain that the longitudinal edges of thebody extend parallel to one another throughout the full vlength of thesign. The attened Aend portions of the rods are disposed immediatelyadjacent to the corners 'of the sign body from which the tensioningelements or ycords l2 project and any tearing strain which the cordsmight impose on the body are taken by these metal rods. i

What I claim is:

V1. A sign comprising an elongated rectangular sheet of fabric materialforming the body of the sign, a pair of tensioning elements extendinglengthwise of the sheet along the opposite longitudinal marginalportions of the sheet, said marginal portions being folded over saidtensioning elements to form hems enclosing the latter therein, a pair ofstiffening members extending transversely across the face of the sheetadjacent to the opposite shorter sides thereof and substantiallybridging the space between the tensioning elements, the end portions ofsaid members spaced from the adjacent tensioning kelements, saidstiiening members each being formed of a tubular metal rod having itsopposite vend portions flattened, and fastening means extending throughsaid attened portions of each stiifening member and through the adjacentportions of the sheet to secure the same together.

2. A sign comprising, in combination, an elongated flexible rectangularsheet `of fabric material formingl the body of the sign, a pair offlexible tensioning elements extending lengthwise of the sheet along theopposite longitudinal mar-- ginal portions of the sheet, each of saidlongitudinal marginal portions being folded over its respectivetensioning element t-o form a hem enclosing the sa-me therewithin, avrigid metallic tubular rod located adjacent each-shorter side of thesign body and overlying a face of the sheet and extending transverselyto the .tensioning elements to bridge the space therebetween, each ofsaid rods having its opposite end portions flattened and overlying saidhems spaced from said tensioning elements, and fastening meansAextending through said hems and through said flattened portions of therods and securing the Same together, the rods being otherwise free ofthe sheet between its opposite ends.

TIMOTHY J. LA FONTAINE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,177,327 Oberlin Oct, 24, 1939 2,252,764 Farrell Aug. 19,1941

